Simulation Option Menu
Collision Mode The collision mode buttons toggle which mode you use. The two modes to choose from are bounce, on the right, and combine. Most simulations use combine mode, where objects will collide and add masses together. Smaller scale simulations with objects like baseballs and dice, etc., tend to use bounce mode. Bounce mode, which allows objects to bounce off and stick from gravity but not become one object, can as well be used for young kids where it may be more entertaining to them. Accuracy Mode The accuracy mode buttons toggle between the calculation methods available for you, which are Euler, and Runge-Kutta, respectively. Euler is less accurate, but faster, where as RK4 is just the opposite, a slower but more accurate calculation method. As with most things, you will have to compromise speed and accuracy for the other, but this only has two options, so choose carefully. Erase Buttons These three buttons are your one stop shop for quick erasing of certain things which may slow your computer.With these three buttons, one can erase all dust particles, all impact marks, or all trail data. Labels & Trails By default, the labels and trails will be on. When you deselect the labels check box, you will no longer see the names of the objects unless you hover your mouse over them or select an object. The trails check box does more or less the same, except when you hover your mouse over an object or select it, you don't see the trail then either. Trails usually have auto length selected. The auto length is calculated based on your FPS (?) and what your simulation has in it. The auto trail length will lower with dust and many bodies, until it reaches the minimum amount you allow. When you deselect auto length, trails have a fixed length set by you. For simulations with many components it is best to have labels and trails both off, as they can slow down the simulation, not to mention the labels can get really annoying. Body Size When the "Show bodies at real size" option is not selected, you can change the slider to show the exaggerated size that you will see. The feature will show any objects at the size selected, only if they would be smaller than that size at the view distace. Highlight Marks, Relation Lines, & Projected Paths Highlight Marks are circles around each and every object. Check this to turn it on, because it's off by default. Relation Lines are lines from the center of the parent body to the center of the child. Projected paths are just as they sound, paths showing what is calculated that the body will go. These paths aren't very accurate, and seem not to function (or are not relative) when trails are focused relative to another body. Hill Spheres & Lagrange Points These two options are also check boxes, which can be toggled on and off. Hill spheres show the range of influence that an object has on others. When that is selected, a 3D sphere is shown and represented by 3 circles. When Lagrange points are turned on, they show the location of the Lagrange points. Lagrange points are points in space relative to a Parent-Child relationship where a fake sense of gravity is achieved. These points are balances in the gravity of the two bodies where objects like asteroids can be located, and where some satellites are located.